Smitten
by Hanatamago2204
Summary: How Hantamago became part of their little family.
Heikki – Finland

Björn – Sweden

* * *

It had been a boring, lazy Saturday. Nothing had to be done, nothing was occupying them. They had been lazing on the sofa, Heikki hanging upside down, head nearly touching the floor.

"I'm bored", he told Björn.

"Hm", came the response.

It didn't really help. Heikki sighed aloud, trying to get Björn to move or suggest something to do. Go for a walk, maybe. When he didn't get anything from the other, Heikki sighed again and kicked his foot at Björn.

"I'm really, really bored Björn…" Maybe whining would help.

"Then go do something." Nope, it didn't. Stupid book. Stupid reading. Heikki pouted and tried to kick Björn again.

"You are no fun", he told him, wiggling off the couch and nearly knocking the coffee off the table.

"Hm."

Well, it seemed Heikki would have to find something to do for the two of them, or Björn would be through his 650-page long book before lunch time. And he had been at chapter 5 this morning. He needed something that would keep him occupied. Something that wasn't work or a book. Something that would get him out of the house. A dog! Yes, they needed a dog.

Heikki was now set on getting out of the house and going to the shelter, just to look as he promised himself.

"Hey, Björn." His boyfriend didn't look up for a few seconds, too entranced by the book.

"I have an idea of what we can do…" Björn raised an eyebrow, urging him to continue in his own way.

"Can we go to the shelter to cuddle with some animals?"

At first, Björn didn't seem to want to go. He looked a bit surprised, and then asked why he would have to come as well. Heikki insisted that it would be more fun together, that Björn should see it as a date.

"Looking at little cats and dogs will be loads of fun", Heikki said, adorable pout on his face. He knew that Björn could not resist that pout.

"Fine. Put yer shoes on and we'll go", he said, setting down his book.

Once at the shelter, Heikki quickly decided that he wanted to see the dogs first. They fit his personality and lifestyle better, he told Björn. The other had hummed and followed the woman that worked there.

They were loud. They barked, growled, howled and jumped. Gods, how Björn wanted to get out of here. It wasn't that he hated dogs. He used to have one when he was younger. But they were so loud, so energy draining.

Most dogs at the shelter were big. Very big. Shepherds, Bull terriers, Mastiffs, Dobermann dogs, Rottweilers and all kinds of mixes between those breeds. Heikki started to coon at them immediately.

"Aren't you a cutie? Look at him Björn", he said with enthusiasm, standing in front of a giant Mastiff/Rottweiler mix. The beast was anything but cute, if you asked Björn.

Knowing that Heikki was going to stay with the giant dog for a bit longer than Björn found necessary, the Swede moved on, shyly looking at the dogs jumping towards him and growling at him. None of them seemed very friendly…

Soon he reached the end of the row of cages, the last one seemingly empty. No big dog, no growling, barking or jumping giant. It took him a moment to see the dog that was hidden behind the bars. And he was in love immediately.

A small, white, fluffy and very friendly dog was lying in the basket that the shelter had provided. Cute wet nose, bouncy tail… Flappy ears and adorable eyes. Björn hunched down, carefully stretching out his hand, clicking his tongue at the little dog.

"Hey… C'mere", he said softly, feeling a little excited when he saw the dog's ears perk up. When he called her again, she got up and waggled her tail at him. She tiptoed towards him, tail still waggling as Björn stretched out his hand.

"What is a little girl like you doing in here, hm?", he asked her softly, scratching behind her ear.

"Hey, did you find something", Heikki asked from halfway down the hall, scaring the little dog a bit.

"Hm", Björn asked, smiling softly when the dog returned to him.

Heikki walked over and was surprised by the scene in front of him.

"Oh, she is absolutely adorable", he sighed as he crouched down next to Björn.

"Hmh", the other responded, proceeding to caress the dog's belly.

They stayed there for a bit, doting on the dog and fawning over her.

"Do you want to take her for a walk?", the woman from the shelter asked them. Björn was the one to agree first.

"Are you sure about this", Heikki asked while they walked around the shelter, the dog happily jumping around and barking at a butterfly. She was so much different from those other giant ones, so much cuter, more quiet. A lot like Heikki, Björn thought.

"Yeah", he said, watching the white ball race around them.

"Alright."

Heikki stayed silent for most of the walk, both too occupied with the dog. Their hands stayed interlaced while they walked, and Björn couldn't help but wonder if this would be their life if they would take the dog home. If so, he would gladly adopt her.

The walk ended way too soon. They had to give her back to the woman. It was clearly visible to Heikki that Björn didn't want to let go of the leash.

"Bye bye little girl", he whispered to the dog when he gave her a last pat.

The ride home was quiet. No radio, no talking from Heikki. Björn seemed lost in thought, not on the earth.

"She was cute, wasn't she", Heikki asked and Björn nodded, looking disappointed. It didn't get better when they arrived home.

It seemed to quiet now, Björn thought. Imagining a little fur ball running around, toys and a basket on the floor didn't help either.

"I want t'adopt her", he said suddenly, surprising Heikki, who was setting the table. He promptly dropped the plate that he had in his hands.

"Are you sure? I thought you didn't like dogs? She'll be noisy, though. We'll have to take her for walks, you'll have to clean up after her, pick up dog poo and clean up all the toys. And don't get me started on hair loss and slobbering tongues", Heikki said.

"I know", Björn responded, getting up to help Heikki with the dropped plate. "But it would be fun. We can go on walks t'gether, house would be less quiet when yer gone again." Heikki seemed to ponder about that for a while.

"I suppose so. … Alright. Let's do it. I hope they are still open…"

The phone call was made and it was decided that the two would come by on Monday for a second meeting with the dog. If they still wanted to take her then, she would come with them on a trial. If that trial phase went right, she would be theirs to keep.

Three weeks later, Björn was still as smitten with the dog as the first time they had met her and she was permanently installed into their house. The shelter had named her Hanatamago and Heikki thought it was a cute name, so they kept it. Even if Björn considered it to be a strange name.

He loved her no less though, and soon the two men took their dog on long strolls together, hands intertwined and happily smiling.

* * *

~Hana


End file.
